Shingle-gage.



' I, Ww; ""1" 110.760,971. PATBNTBD MAY24,1904.

J. DINWIDDIE.

SHINGLB GAGE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 6, 1903.

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. To all whom, it may concern:

UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

JAMES DINVVIDDIE, OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS;

SHlNGLE- GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters' Patent No. 760,971, dated May l24'., 1904. i Application filed November 6,1903. Serial No. 180,053. (No model.)

J devices for gaging; the courses of shingles while laying the same, an object being/to pro- 'vide a simple and inexpensive device by the use of which the several courses will have their butt-ends in perfectly straight lines and parallel throughout the extent ofthe roof, the device being so constructed that it may be quickly adjusted -f'or the progressing courses and `also adjustable for diiI'erent lengths to be exposed to the weather.

I will describe a shingle-gageembodying my invention and .then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. Figure 1 is a plan view of a shingle-gage embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the holding devices. Fig. 3 is an end view of the gage proper. Fig. 4 is a sectional viewof the holder. Fig. 5 is an end view thereof. Fig. 6 shows one of the guide-plates for. the gage-bars, and Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5.

In carrying out my invention I employ two or more holding devices A B, designed to be secured to the sheathing of a roof. Each holding device consists of a base-plate 1, having legs 2 at its corners, these legs being provided with holes to receive fastening devices. I have here shown fastening devices consisting of diametrically-placed thumb-nuts 3, which preferably are flattened on the top, so they may be started into the sheathing by the means of a hammer. When found necessary, .screws may be inserted through the other openings.

Mounted on the base-plate 1 is a guide-plate 4, and, as here shown, this guide-plate near the lower end has a pivotal connection 5 with i the base-plate, lIt is limited in its lateral swinging motion, however, by means of pins 6 in its lower side engaging in slotsformed in the base-plate. Mounted to slide transversely on the guide-plate is a lock-carrying plate 7, the said plate 4 being provided with a recess to receive said plate 7, the opposite walls of the recess being undercut and the edges of the plate 7 conformed thereto. The guide-plate has a longitudinal opening 8i for a bar 9, extending from the gage-bar l0. As `here shown, each bar 9 is provided with a plurality of rows of holes, the holes of the rows being differently spaced apart, so that the gage -may be adjusted for the length of the shingle to be exposed to the weather. In the drawings three -rows of holes are shown at 11, 12, and 13. Mounted to swing on the plate 7 is a dog 14, having a hook portion 15 designed to pass through an opening in the plate 7 and engage in a'notch or hole of the bar'Q.A From the free end of the dog 14 a pin 16 extends upward through an opening in a block 1-7, carried on the lower end of the plate 7, and a block and the dog, this spring serving to force the dog downward.

On the top of the block 17 is a swinging latch l'19, designed to be moved under the head 2O of the pin 16 when it isdesired to hold the dog in elevated position, permitting the rods to lbe detached from the holding devices or the holding devices to be moved upward on the rods. The object of thelateral movement of the plate 7 is to place the dog 14 in position to engage' the holes of any linein the bar 9.

As a means for holding the plate as laterally adjusted I employ a pin 21, which passes through an opening in the block 17 and is designed to engage in any one of the perforations 22, formed in a block 23 on the plate 4. The gage rod or bar 9 is connected to the 1 gage 10 by means of removablepins 24, which to prevent possible loss are attached to the gage-har by chains 25. The bars pass underneath straps 26 on the gage-bar, these straps being of sufficient length to permit of a slight lateral swinging motion. It will be noted spring 18 surrounds thev pinbetween said.

that the end walls of the holes in the bar 9 are inclined and that the under side of the hook portion 15 at its lower end is curved. By this arrangement when the gage-bar 10 is moved upward the dog will be forced upward until the next holes of the series are reached, when the dog will drop into the same.

The operation of the device is quite obvious. The holding devices are to be secured to the sheathing, as before mentioned, and then while the gage is in position for the first course of shingles the said shingles are nailed in place.l Then the gage is moved up for the next course.

It is obvious that with a machine embodying my invention .shingles may be very rapidly laid, as the shingler is not required to lay olf chalk-lines for the butts of the shingles or to use gage-boards, as is sometimes done, thc said boards being nailed to the shingles. This, it may be stated, is objectionable, because the nails may leaves holes which will cause leaks.

The devices may be of any desired lengths.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as n ew and desire to secure by Letters Patentfl. In a shinglegage, holding devices designed t'o be secured to a roof, spring-pressed dogs comprised in saidv holding devices, a gage bar or rail, and rods extended from said gage bar or rail, and arranged to slide through the holding devices, eachv of said bars having a plurality of rows of holes to receive the dogs, the holes of the rows being arranged at different distances apart. r

2. In` a shingle-gage, a gage-bar, a guideplate having an opening, a bar extended from the gage-barvand extended into said opening, a plate having lateral movement on said gageplate, a spring-pressed dog carried by said laterally-movable plate, and means for holding the plate as adjusted laterally. v

3. In a shingle-gage, the combination with a gage-bar and bars extended therefrom, the extended bars being provided with rows of openings,of holding devices comprising guideplates through which said extended bars slide, laterally-movable plates on the guide-plates, spring-pressed dogs carried by said laterallymovable plates, spring-pressed locking-pins carried by the laterally-movable plates, and

blocks on the guide-plates having perforations to receive said pins.

4. In a shingle-gage, the combination with a gage-rail and bars extended therefrom, the said bars having openings, holding devices comprising base-plates adapted to be secured to a roof, guide-plates having a slight lateral swinging motion on said base plates, said guide-plates having openings through which said bars may slide, plates mounted to slide laterally on the guide-plates, blocks on the lower` ends of said laterally-sliding plates and having openings, dogs mounted to swing on said sliding plates, pins extended upward from the dogs through said'openin'gs inthe blocks, springs arranged between the dogs and blocks,

. and means for locking said sliding plates in their adjusted position.

5. Ina shingle-gage, the combination with a gage-rail and bars extended therefrom, the said bars having openings, holding devices comprising base-plates adapted to be secured to a roof, guide-plates having a slight. lateral swinging motion `on said base plates, Y said guide-plates having openings through which said bars may slide, plates mounted to slide laterally on the guide-plates, blocks on the lower ends of said laterally-sliding plates and.

having openings, dogs mounted to swing on said sliding plates,pins extended upward from the dogs through said openings in the blocks, springs arranged between the dogs and blocks, means for loclringsaid sliding plates in their adjusted position, and latches on the blocks for engaging with said pins to hold the dogs out of operative position.

6. In ashingle-gage, holding devices adapted to be secured toa roof, automatically-operating parts comprised in said holding devices, bars having slidingconnection with said holding devices engaged by saidV automaticallyoperated parts, and a gage-rail having detachable connection with said bars.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES DINVVIDDIE.

Witnesses:

HENRY QUINTON, D. C. AMBRosE. 

